Why is the Rio Grande sucker endangered?

Primary threats to this species have generally resulted from anthropogenic activities that alter the physical or biological

characteristics of the Rio Grande sucker's habitat. Most of the historic physical changes to the aquatic environment

and the majority of future threats are related to water management and flow modifications. These include the

construction of migration barriers, which can result in habitat fragmentation and dewatering, and land use practices or

landscape scale changes that result in degraded aquatic conditions. Specific threats to the Rio Grande sucker include

the modification of stream channels (including channelization, diversions, rerouting and straightening). The primary

human-induced biological threat to Rio Grande suckers is the introduction of non-native predators and competitors.

Detailed information concerning the historic distribution, life history, population trends, and community ecology

of this species is relatively limited.